Overlapping of natural stone mining field with high-speed train project in Turkey: Was the economic public benefit evaluation made sufficiently?

Unlike many other land uses, the area on which mineral extraction can be done is limited. The fact that the mines have to be produced where they exist without being able to choose a location brings along other benefits and area usage overlaps. A remarkable example of a mining-infrastructure investment overlap is the overlap between a natural stone operation site and a high-speed train project in Nevşehir. The Audit On-Site Committee examined the overlapping mine sites. Based on the report of the Committee, it was decided in favor of the railway activity. In this report, it was detected that mining activities can be conducted on the condition that mining operating license area is reduced due to the high-speed train line. Yet, a significant part of mine production area overlapped with the high-speed train line. Following the evaluations made considering the economic public benefit, it was decided that the high-speed train project should be given priority in the overlapping area. In these evaluations, it was taken into consideration that the contribution of high-speed train investment to the area would be higher compared to mining investment and that shifting the project towards another area would be more costly. In this study, the economic public interest evaluation made by the Committee is discussed in terms of the methods that should be applied in cost-benefit analysis. It was determined that a practical but non-exhaustive method was applied in the cost-benefit analysis, which is the basis for the economic public interest evaluation made by the committee. To see the application more clearly, the deficiencies in the calculation made by the Committee are completed. This calculation and method application by the Committee were compared with the methods that should be applied in cost-benefit analysis. These kinds of investment overlaps may cause project route alterations in the billion-dollar infrastructure investments. Solutions were offered on the subject of Audit On-Site Committee evaluations, which were effective in this, across Turkey. •Overlaps of mining activities with other investment activities in Turkey can frequently occur.•The overlap between mining and high-speed train investment is analyzed in terms of economic public benefit and land use.•The time value of money should be consider in cost benefit analyzes, and benefits/costs should be calculated precisely.•The value of each mine and its amount on earth/area distribution are not the same.•It will